Positioning device with automatic return stroke

ABSTRACT

A positioning device comprises a plurality of positioning elements each having relatively movable piston and cylinder elements with restricted fluid communication between both ends of the cylinder element. Each of the relatively movable piston and cylinder elements is angularly disposed relative to other such elements which are structurally interconnected with a floating equalizer linkage to provide uniform and unrestricted movement within desired limits. Pressurized fluid is supplied to the cylinders through internal passageways to cause relative movement in one direction and the device automatically returns to its initial position when disconnected from the supply of pressurized fluid.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,780 4/1937 Slater 2,299,430 10/1942 2,828,722 4/1958 Bohnhoffet al. 3,182,450 5/1965 Widell et Primary Examiner-Paul E. Maslousky Attorneys-Irvin V. Gleim and Edward M. Tritle s41 POSITIONING DEVICEWI'IHAUTOMATIC RETURNSTROKE 4Claims,2Ih'awingFigs.

521 usml 51 Int.

Patented May 4, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .M RK

E R v N. L m. M. 0

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ussumzt INVENTOR. CHARLES L. BRlNKMAN lsv j /mf POSITIONING DEVICE WITH AUTOMATIC RETURN STROKE This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 608,523, now abandoned, filed Jan. 11, 1967 which, in turn, was a divisional application of application Ser. No. 515,260 filed Dec. 20, 1965, now patent 3,302,902 which, in turn, was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 228,886 filed Oct. 8, 1962, now US. Pat. No. 3,228,624.

BACKGROUND The present invention relates to material feeding and/or storage, and more particularly, to a stock reel device having adjustably positionable elements for releasably holding and feeding material from a coil of stock material supported on the reel.

The present invention relates particularly to the art of font!- ing or shaping objects by suitable machines, as for example, punch presses or other presses, wherein stock is fed to the machine continuously and/or intermittently at a desired rate from a coil of stock material supported by a reel device. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto since it is applicable in any device in which a web of material is carried by a reel device or the like and is fed therefrom at a desired rate either continuously and/or intermittently, as needed, to a desired location for any desired purpose.

In general, stock reel devices are known and have been employed in the industry heretofore with varying degrees of success. However, such prior devices were generally subject to the disadvantage that they required and occupied vary substantial and considerable amounts of valuable floor space which is expensive not only from a cost viewpoint but also from the viewpoint that such space could otherwise be employed for other productive purposes. Additionally, in many operations, it is highly desirable that the stock be fed from a reel device to a desired location under controlled tension without kinking of the stock and at the same time avoiding uneven feeding thereof.

Some of the above-mentioned difficulties are overcome by the inventions set forth in the above-noted patents. Additionally, the embodiment of the present invention in a reel device provides improved means for selectively and releasably securing coiled stock to a reel for supporting said stock.

DESCRIPTION Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of a reel device embodying positioning means in accordance with the invention; and,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of arrows 2-2.

Referring to the drawings, the reel support and brake assemblage is designated generally at and the relatively. stiff stock carried by the reel assemblage is designated by the numeral 11. As best shown in FIG. 1, the stock is illustrated as relatively stifi strip material in coiled form which is held by the reel and supplied as desired under tension to a machine, not shown. Assemblage 10 comprises a frame formed of base members 12, 13 which support a pair of inclined members 14, 15 connected at their lower ends to members l2, 13, as by welding. Members 14, 15 are connected at their upper ends to a tubular member 16 in which is joumaled a reel-supporting shaft 17.

A reel, generally designated 18, is connected to shaft 17 and comprises a hub member 19 and radial spokes 20. Hub member 19 is provided with cross passageways 19a in communication with a central bore or passageway 170 provided in shaft 17. Radially extending spokes 20 are suitably secured to,

hub 19, as for example, by welding.

Spokes 20 are provided with internal passageways 200 that communicate with passageway 19a. Thus, for reasons which will appear presently, passageways 20a, 19a, and 17a are all connected together in series and in fluid communication relation so that they thereby form, in effect, a single fluid passageway.

At the outer extremity of spokes 20, pistons 21 are secured in any convenient manner, as for example, by threaded fastener or screw means 22. Pistons 21 are disposed for relative sliding movement within a cylinder 23 closed by an upper end closure 24, and a lower end closure 25.

The closed cylinder is thereby divided into upper and lower chambers 26, 27 respectively situated at opposite sides of pistons 21. Fluid communication between the uppermost chamber 26 and the fluid passageway comprising passageways 20a, 19a and 17a is established by a central passageway 22a provided in the screw means 22. Also, fluid communication is established between the upper chamber 26 of cylinder 23 and the lower chamber 27 by a passageway 21a that is relatively small as compared to passageway 23a.

Extension spokes 28 are connected to cylinders 24 by any convenient means, as for example, by welding. As shown in the drawings, extension spokes 28 are of tubular construction and are each provided with hollow central portions 29 closed I at both ends thereof by closures 30, 31.

The wall of each cylinder 23 is provided with an opening 23a disposed in registry with a similar opening 280 provided in the all of each extension spoke 28. Thus, the lower chamber 27 of cylinder 23 is connected in fluid communication with the interior portion 29 of spoke 28 by means of the connecting passageway formed by aligned openings 23a, 28a.

At one end of shaft 17 and cooperatively disposed relative to passageway 17a, there is provided a threaded portion 32 for connection with a suitable fitting, not shown, to receive fluid under pressure from a suitable source, not shown. When fluid under pressure is so connected and supplied to the device considered collectively, the fluid pressure will be communicated to the upper chamber 26 of cylinder 23 by means of connecting passageways 17a, 19a, 20a and 22a. Since spoke 20 is connected to hub member 19, the introduction of such fluid pressure into chamber 26 causes cylinder 23 and extension spoke 28 to move radially outward relative to spoke 20.

Means are provided for permitting such outward movement of cylinders 23 and spokes 28 and at the same time restraining such movement within desired limits. The extent of such regular outward movement is limited in accordance with the invention by the provision of a sleeve 33 which is loosely fitted onto spoke 20 between piston 21 and the lower cylinder closure member 25. The innermost limit of movement of cylinder 23 is reached when lower closure member 25 bears against the exterior surface of hub member 19, and the outermost limit of such movement occurs when lower closure member 25 pushes sleeve 33 into engagement with the lower face of piston 22. Since the length of sleeve 33 can be readily controlled, in accord with this invention, within very narrow limits, the inward and outward limits of movement of cylinder 23 are accurately controlled irrespective of variations and/or irregularitiesthat may occur regarding other components of the device.

Additionally, provision is made for preventing twisting movement of cylinders 23 relative to spokes 20 during such outward movement. This is accomplished in accordance with the invention by the provision of a pair of floating plates 34 disposed on opposite sides of cylinder 23 and connected thereto by links 35.

The outermost end of link 35 is pivotally connected to cylinder 23by pin 36 and the inner end of the link is pivotally connected to plate 34 by pin 37. Thus, cylinders 23 are free to move either inwardly or outwardly without twisting relative to spokes 20 and in consequence are constrained to move in a radial direction. At the outer extremity of cylinder 23 there is connected thereto by any convenient means, for example, threaded fastening means 38, a curved shoe or bearing member 39 for exerting pressure against the inner surface of a coil of stock when cylinder 23 is caused to move outwardly as described above.

If desired, coil retention means may be provided which includes a hub 40 having a flanged portion 41 to which are connected arms 42, 43. Hub 40 is provided with a central bore enabling it to be fitted onto shaft 17 and secured thereto by a thumbscrew 44 or other suitable securing means.

In operation the device is first disconnected from the fluid pressure source. Usually, the disconnecting means will be of a known type of valve which forms no part of the present invention and accordingly is not shown. The coil retention means comprising hub 40, flange portion 41 and arms 42, 43 is then removed from shaft 17 by loosening thumbscrew 40.

When the device is disconnected from the source of fluid pressure, cylinder 23, extension spoke 28, and curved shoes 39 are fully retracted to their innermost position for reasons which will appear presently. Accordingly, a coil of stock material is positioned onto and over shoes 39 and against extension spokes 28 in the position best shown in FIG. 1. The coil retention means is then placed on the end of shaft 17 and secured thereto by thumbscrew 44. The free end of material from the stock coil is then looped around drum 45, as shown in FIG. 1, and the free end thereof is connected to the tension device of the machine, not shown, where the material is to be used. The passageway 17a is then connected to the fluid pressure source and the device is then ready for operation.

As noted above, when fluid under pressure is supplied to passageway 17a, such pressure is communicated to the upper cylinder portion 26 via passageways 17a, 19a, 20a and 22a. Ultimately, the pressure in lower chamber portion 27 will become equalized with the pressure existing in upper portion 26 because the ends of extension spoke 28 are closed by end closures 30, 31. However, initially, because of the restriction provided by passageway 21a, which is small compared to passageways 17a, 19a, 20a, and 220, a differential pressure will initially exist with the pressure in upper chamber portion 26 exceeding that then existing in lower chamber 27. Accordingly, cylinder 23 is caused to move radially outward relative to spokes 20 and shoes 39 will thereby exert a force in a radially outward direction on the inner surface of a coil of stock carried thereon. Within a short time, the pressure in the lower chamber 27 and the hollow portion 29 of extension spoke 28 will become equalized with that existing in upper chamber 26 so that the cylinder 23 and shoes 39 will remain in their outwardly extended position as long as such equalized pressure condition is maintained.

When passageway 17a is disconnected from the source of fluid pressure, and passageway 17a is simultaneously vented to the atmosphere, the fluid pressure in the upper chamber 26 will quickly fall to a value approaching atmospheric pressure since the connecting passageways 17a, 19a, 20a and 220 are relatively large. During such intervals, and because of the restriction provided by passageway 210, the pressure in the lower chamber 27 and in hollow portion 29 will remain relatively high as compared to that then existing in upper chamber 26 thus causing cylinder 29 to return to its initial radially retracted position. Thus, the invention provides simple means for relatively shifting the movable elements thereof and does not require springs or other biasing means nor does it require the use of a double'acting cylinders.

As used herein, the word fluid includes compressible fluids such as air and other compressible gases, and the like.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a positioning device, the combination comprising walls defining a cylinder closed at both ends thereof,

piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder for reciprocating movement therein and dividing said cylinder into first and second chambers disposed at opposite sides of said piston means,

a piston rod connected to said piston means and slidably extending through one of said closed ends for reciprocating movement relative to said one end, means connected between said cylinder and said piston rod preventing relative twisting movement therebetween relative to their common longitudinal axes and permitting relative reciprocating movement along said axes,

means effecting relative movement between said cylinder and said piston means including a first passageway extending through said rod and said piston means with one end of said passageway in fluid communication relation with said first chamber and having at the other end of said passageway a port adapted to be connected selectively to a source of pressurized fluid or vented to the atmosphere, and

means causing the temporary existence of a pressure differential between said first and second chambers for effecting relative retraction movement of said piston means and said cylinder when said port is vented to the atmosphere, said last-mentioned means including a second discrete passageway extending through said piston means and spaced apart from said first passageway and restrictively connecting said first and second chambers in fluid communication relationship.

2. A plurality of devices each according to claim 1 and additionally including means interconnecting each of said twistingpreventing means.

3. Combination according to claim 1 wherein said twistingpreventing means includes floating linkage means pivotally connected between said cylinder and said piston rod.

4. Combination according to claim 1 and additionally comprising movement limiting means including a member having a preselected length disposed within said second chamber and loosely fitted relative to said cylinder and to said piston rod for relative reciprocating movement relative to said cylinder and to said rod. 

1. In a positioning device, the combination comprising walls defining a cylinder closed at both ends thereof, piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder for reciprocating movement therein and dividing said cylinder into first and second chambers disposed at opposite sides of said piston means, a piston rod connected to said piston means and slidably extending through one of said closed ends for reciprocating movement relative to said one end, means connected between said cylinder and said piston rod preventing relative twisting movement therebetween relative to their common longitudinal axes and permitting relative reciprocating movement along said axes, means effecting relative movement between said cylinder and said piston means including a first passageway extending through said rod and said piston means with one end of said passageway in fluid communication relation with said first chamber and having at the other end of said passageway a port adapted to be connected selectively to a source of pressurized fluid or vented to the atmosphere, and means causing the temporary existence of a pressure differential between said first and second chambers for effecting relative retraction movement of said piston means and said cylinder when said port is vented to the atmosphere, said last-mentioned means including a second discrete passageway extending through said piston means and spaced apart from said first passageway and restrictively connecting said first and second chambers in fluid communication relationship.
 2. A plurality of devices each according to claim 1 and additionally including means interconnecting each of said twisting-preventing means.
 3. Combination according to claim 1 wherein said twisting-preventing means includes floating linkage means pivotally connected between said cylinder and said piston rod.
 4. Combination according to claim 1 and additionally comprising movement limiting means including a member having a preselected length disposed within said second chamber and loosely fitted relative to said cylinder and to said piston rod for relative reciprocating movement relative to said cylinder and to said rod. 